1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

A PEARL OF GREAT VALUEIn the days of our Saviour pearls were representedamongst the most precious and most desirable of jewels,and the larger and more nearly perfect the pearl thegreater its value. The Great Teacher used this familiarmatter as the basis for a lesson on the value of the Kingdom.R5048 : page 201The Merchant of the Parable found a Pearl sosuperior in every respect to all other pearls that he consideredit cheap to give everything that he possessed tobecome the owner of that Pearl.This, said the Master, illustrates the value of the Kingdom,with its glory, honor and immortality, which I aminviting an elect, saintly little flock to share with Me.Those who prize it properly will show their appreciationby the amount they will be willing and glad to pay for it.Whether a man be wealthy or poor, learned or ignorant,influential or otherwise, the cost of this Kingdom Pearl ofgreat value will be--his all. It cannot be had for less.The wealthiest or most talented person in the worldcould not obtain a share in that Kingdom if he kept backone single atom of his possessions; the price of the Kingdomis self-sacrifice, even unto death, and nothing lesswill secure it. Nor would any sacrifice that we couldmake secure a share in this Kingdom for us, except as oursacrifice would first be made acceptable in God's sightthrough the precious merit of our Redeemer's sacrifice,which He finished at Calvary.THE PARABLE OF A FISH NETWe are not to think of the Kingdom as like a net, butto understand that the embryo Kingdom resembles a fishingexperience with a net, in which were gathered allkinds of fish, which were brought to shore and sorted.This is a parable of the embryo Kingdom because it relatesto a work done in this Age, in connection with thefinding of the "little flock" who will constitute the Kingdomin glory. The Lord during this Age has not beenfishing for all kinds of fish; He has not been seeking forall kinds of people. He has been calling, drawing especially,and dealing with, only the elect, only the saintly.But, incidentally, a variety of other kinds of fish havegotten into the Gospel Net, some from worldly ambitions,some because religious systems are a good matrimonialfield, others because of social privileges and standing,others because they desire to breathe a moral atmosphere,others because they would use religion as a cloak for businessenterprises, etc. But the suitable fish, which the Lordis seeking, and who alone will constitute the Kingdomclass, are those who hear His Message with joy and countthe cost and appreciate the situation and desire to be"bond servants of the Lord Jesus Christ." They are willing